


A Haunted House

by Rumpleteazergrace



Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: Haunted House, M/M, Post-Kings Rising, enthusiastic Damen, skeptical Laurent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-12
Updated: 2016-03-12
Packaged: 2018-05-26 08:15:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6230956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rumpleteazergrace/pseuds/Rumpleteazergrace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“There is an abandoned house on the outskirts of Ios,” Damen strikes up the conversation casually from where he is sprawled on their bed. "They say it's haunted."</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Haunted House

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a prompt sent to me on tumblr! Damen and Laurent make a bet on a supposedly haunted house outside of Ios.

“There is an abandoned house on the outskirts of Ios,” Damen strikes up the conversation casually from where he is sprawled on their bed.

It is late; the bedroom shutters are not drawn, and the room is illuminated with the light of the full moon, and only a few candles. Laurent is sitting up on the wide windowsill, a book in his hands. He hums noncommittally, and doesn’t even glance up.

“They say it’s haunted,” Damen continues, propping himself up to see if that will grab his husband’s attention. “They say each night, ghosts stalk the area, unable to go to the afterlife.”

“Superstitious nonsense,” Laurent dismisses, finally raising his head to look at Damen coolly.

“You don’t believe in ghosts?”

Laurent’s look turns distinctly unimpressed as he shakes his head. “And you, Damen? You believe in undead spirits? It’s nonsense.”

“Nonsense,” Damen echoes. “Is that so?”

“Completely,” Laurent snaps his book shut with a sense of finality. “We should sleep. We have meetings tomorrow.”

Damen’s eyes glint as he pushes himself up from the bed, and he strolls over to the window, where Laurent is still perched on the ledge. “Since you’re so adamant, how about a wager?” he suggests. “Why don’t we ride out to the house, and see who is right?”

Laurent doesn’t reply for a long moment, and shifts his gaze to observe the stars. They are both dressed. They could sneak out without the guards noticing and be back before dawn. But Laurent, usually so eager to participate in activities such as these, remains silent and still.

“Are you afraid, love?” Damen asks teasingly, brushing his fingers across Laurent’s jaw. The other man flinches away, and Damen’s hand drops hurriedly. “Laurent? It’s alright. We don’t have to go.”

Laurent rolls his crystal blue eyes in irritation, and snaps, “I am not _afraid_ , Damen, because I know there are no such things as ghosts. There is _no_ way, logical or otherwise, that they exist.” He suddenly sounds so angry, and Damen doesn’t know why.

“Ok,” is all he says, gently. “I am sorry for upsetting you. Let’s go to bed.”

But Laurent doesn’t move from the windowsill, and instead closes his eyes. When he speaks, his voice is back to being measured, controlled. “I know they don’t exist, so there is no harm in going, is there?”

Damen blinks in surprise. “You wish to go?”

“Why not?” Laurent leaps from the sill effortlessly. “Let’s play this game. What will you do for me, once you are proved wrong?”

“Anything,” he replies easily. “You know that. But what if _you_ are proved wrong?”

“On that extremely rare chance, I will do anything for you, too.”

Damen smiles fully, as he takes Laurent’s hand. “Well, then. What are we waiting for?”

* * *

 

The house is derelict, dangerous, a large building that had obviously been grand in its day. Damen’s father had tried, over the years, to get it knocked down, but the rumours and paranormal enthusiasts of the area – himself included – had always passionately argued against the idea.

“Here we are,” Damen whispers unnecessarily. An icy blast of wind batters against them, and Laurent’s façade slips the slightest bit. They are both wearing chitons, a bad move on their part, but it’s far too late to go back and change now. It had been so warm by the palace. “You see?” he says expectantly. “The heat of Akielos does not reach here. There are too many spirits.”

Laurent angles his head, and rubs his pale arms. “You are ridiculous. Are we meant to stand out here all evening? Let’s get on with it.”

“Let’s,” Damen agrees, and they proceed onwards. The front door creaks open, and Damen breathes out slowly as they enter. The air is even colder inside.

“So,” Laurent says casually, his voice far too loud for the tense atmosphere. Damen shushes him, but is promptly ignored. “What happens now, lover?”

“Now we explore,” he murmurs back.

“Enthralling,” Laurent quips. “Will the ghosts jump out at us, do you think, rattling chains?”

Damen decides not to answer, and instead begins to walk around what he assumes used to be the living room. What’s left of the furniture is covered in dust, and he avoids touching it. “Laurent,” he hisses. “Look, there is a chest. Should I look inside?”

“If you wish.”

“It is probably unwise. It could be a treasured item of one of the spirits. Or, perhaps, the contents inside has clues. Or –“

“Or it is possessed by a demon who will steal your soul,” Laurent replies, already looking distinctly bored. How can he be bored in a haunted house? Damen bites his lip in annoyance, but is then startled by a creaking noise. He whips around intensely, excitement flaring in his eyes.

“Did you hear that? It sounded like footsteps.”

“I thought ghosts floated through the air.”

“We must go upstairs,” Damen announces, moving past him. “Imagine what will happen if we see a ghost! What a story. We will be able to tell our children.”

That finally makes Laurent start in surprise, and he looks at Damen in bewilderment. “Our…what?”

Damen realises what he has said, and feels himself flush despite the cold. He clears his throat, awkwardly beginning to walk up the stairs, Laurent close behind him. “I…I am sorry. I didn’t – It is a discussion for later. A lot later, if you wish.”

“Yes,” Laurent murmurs, and he is blushing too. From then on, he stops with the sceptical remarks, even when they find no evidence of ghostly activities. Damen looks so disappointed when they finally leave the house, that Laurent kisses his cheek. “I am sorry we didn’t find anything,” he says sincerely.

Damen shrugs, softening slightly at the kiss. “I suppose…There is always the chance they didn’t want to emerge because we were intruding in their home.”

“That’s possible,” Laurent agrees.

“You don’t need to humour me,” Damen tells him, though he wraps his arms around Laurent anyway, nuzzling his face in his silken hair. “You have made it clear you are not a believer.”

“Damen,” Laurent begins carefully. “I always thought that if ghosts _did_ exist, my brother would have come to visit me from the afterlife whenever he could. Death could not keep him from me. But he never came, and if he could, I know he would. That is why I cannot believe in them the way you do.”

Damen stiffens, his dark eyes widening as he groans softly. “Oh, _Laurent_ , I am so sorry.”

“No. Don’t be.”

“No wonder you were so angry before. I am an idiot. Laurent…”

“Damen,” Laurent pulls back a tiny bit. “I would just like to go home.”

“Of course,” he says quietly. “And do not worry; we don’t have to do this again.”

“Perhaps Nikandros could accompany you instead,” Laurent suggests sweetly. “I’m sure he’d be more enthusiastic than I am. I don’t want you to give up something you’re passionate about.”

“I’m passionate about _you_ ,” Damen replies, which earns him another kiss on the cheek.

“And now you have the chance to show me,” Laurent says. “After all, you said you would do _anything_ for me if proved wrong in this particular case.”

“I did, didn’t I?” Damen says with a little smile. “I stand by that. Anything for you."


End file.
